Shamed
by ashpokeball
Summary: He didn't deserve this did he? He had done all he could have done. A first person POV from The Arbiter's eyes as he's branded with The Mark of Shame. Rated M for torture. Reviews appreciated!


**Author's Note**: Sorry if this is really crappy. I'm not that good at dialogue. LOL. Reviews are appreciated!

* * *

Shamed

I sat on the floor of my cell pondering my sentence; I had committed the ultimate sin. Even with my fleet, I was unable to save the sacred ring from the demon. I was failure. I let out a sigh. I knew I would be sentenced to death. The Council had even gone so far to call me a heretic! In my last moments, I decided to look back on my life.

I was born into the Vadam family and raised by my maternal uncle; like all Sangheili children are. Throughout my childhood, I was taught the fighting arts. Once I became of age, I entered the Covenant army and became a Minor Domo. I rose through the ranks until I became the Supreme Fleet Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice.

Recently, I had been assigned the important task of destroying the planet where the demons spawned; the humans called it Reach. It was an onslaught, we killed many demons, but one escaped. I ordered the ships in my command to follow the demon, and it lead us to the sacred ring. However, the parasite and the remaining humans made it difficult to kill the demon, and, in the end, the ring was destroyed.

As soon as I returned to High Charity, I was given a trial. I explained how the parasite had brought confusion to my fleet. There was nothing I could have done! But The Council disagreed. One even called me a heretic; I was no heretic! I had sworn my life to the Covenant! At the end of the trial, I was escorted by the Jiralhanae's leader, Tartarus, and put into this cell. I took a moment to calm down before I pondered what else would happen to me.

*Knock* *Knock* Hearing the knocking, I got up from my sitting position on the floor. Moments later, the door opened, revealing one of Tartarus' lackeys.

"It's time for your sentence, _heretic_." The beast stated with contempt as he grabbed my wrist roughly to pull me out of my cell.

"I can walk myself!" I growled as I wrestled out of the brute's grip. "Do you take me as a newly born hatchling?"

The Jiralhanae said something under his breath and glared at me, but he let me go. I was joined by another Jiralhanae as we walked through the halls of High Charity. Each step was a step closer to death. After about half an hour of walking, it occurred to me as to where they were taking me. There was no other place they could have been taking me; they were taking me to The Hall of Shame.

A twisting feeling formed within my stomach. The Hall of Shame was where only the most serious criminals and heretics were punished. First, they would publicly humiliate the offender, broadcasting it for all of High Charity to see. After, the humiliation, the heretic would be branded with The Mark of Shame, and they would be taken somewhere undisclosed for their death. Finally, their corpse would be paraded around the city, and all of the citizens would celebrate a successful purging of a malicious criminal.

I involuntarily shuddered at the thought; I had been to a branding before. Like everyone else, I cheered as the heretic got what he rightfully deserved. But, did I deserve this? My thoughts began to wonder, however, there was no more time to think. We were walking down the final corridor leading to my fate. Behind the closed doors, I could hear the roaring crowd; ready to see the branding of the heretic.

As I entered the room, I was greeted by the cheers of hundreds. Every second felt like hours as I walked towards the raised platform where I would be tortured for all to see.

"Heretic! Heretic!" Three Unggoy jeered as I strode past them.

I finally reached the podium, and Tartarus' lackeys locked my wrists and ankles into the holocuffs. There was no escaping now. Tartarus turned around to me for some small talk.

"You've drawn quite a crowd!" Tartarus said with a smirk. He was looking forward to my mockery. I gritted my teeth. Even then, Tartarus continued to be a blubbering buffoon.

"If they've come to hear me beg, they will be disappointed." I replied back bitterly.

"Are you sure?" He asked tauntingly; the cruel grin still on his face.

A beam of red energy began bombarding me from my right holocuff; draining my armor's shields. It was soon followed by another beam from my left side. My shield's finally withered out, and the beams began to damage and burn the armor and my skin underneath it. The agony made me wish I had died on the Ring. In vain, I struggled against my restraints. The beams' punishment blocked out the crowd's cheering, and the crowd seemed to be only a constant buzzing sound at the back of my mind.

I wanted to scream out in pain, but I held it back. I would not give Tartarus what he wanted.

Finally, after several minutes, the beams subsided. My armor was burnt and inoperable. Tartarus stood up and faced the crowd.

"This scum allowed Humans to desecrate the sacred ring!" Tartarus bellowed as he motioned to me. "There can be no greater heresy! Let him be an example for all who would break our Covenant!" The crowd cheered once more, and Tartarus barked out an order to prepare me for the Branding.

The two brutes grabbed my chest piece and roughly ripped it out; exposing my bare chest. They sloppily threw the armor on the ground and prepared to strip more pieces off of me. Each piece that was taken off revealed my naked body underneath. Soon, only my helmet remained. It was the last symbol of my former rank; the result of my labor for the Covenant through the years. Tartarus personally took off the helmet and flung it over his shoulder. I was no longer a commander; I was only a naked criminal ready to be branded.

The platform below me subsided into the ground. I was hung into the air uncomfortably by the holocuffs. The Brander slowly rose out of the ground; its tip was a burning red. Tartarus grabbed the Brander and walked to me; his smirk had turn into a menacing grin. I tilted my head up one last time and stared him in the eyes. Then, he thrust the Brander towards my chest.

Pain. Unbearable Pain. My entire body shuddered. I couldn't breath. Mere words could not describe it. All thoughts of self-restraint left my mind, and I let out a pained howl. Every second was like a tempest that overwhelmed my senses.

I did not know how long the branding lasted, but the holocuffs deactivated, and I fell into a shuddering heap on the ground. I felt the tugs of unconsciousness, and I readily welcomed the darkness.


End file.
